


The Answer You Give

by katling



Series: Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: But mostly fluff, Fluff, M/M, and a bit more angsty than I originally anticipated, and has good reasons for them, finn makes decisions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 10:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7218406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My next <a href="http://tellmevarric.tumblr.com/post/145321344313/chacah-inquisitorhotpants">types of kisses</a> fics. This one directly follows <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/7209542">You're Alive</a> so it's probably a good idea to read that one first. The prompt for this one was: kisses absently left on the backs of hands, fingers entwined in silent comfort.</p>
<p>The morning after Poe gets home, Finn makes decisions for good reasons and Poe is an adult.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Answer You Give

It was pain that dragged Poe out of sleep and for a moment he was confused… and fearful. Pain had most recently been associated with his capture and interrogation by the First Order and just for a moment he wondered if he opened his eyes, would he be back in that chair with Kylo Ren in front of him, ready to rip into his mind again. Then he shifted and the pain localised to his shoulder and the memories came thumping back into his mind – the scouting run, the unexpected First Order scout, the damage to his X-wing, the planet, the friendly locals who had become not so friendly when he’d tried to leave.

He pried his eyes open and saw the familiar walls and accumulated clutter of his room on D’Qar. He also saw Finn, curled up next to him on Poe’s uninjured side, their only point of contact being the hand that was wrapped around Poe’s bicep. They normally woke up wrapped around each other but Poe wasn’t quite in any condition for that and he mourned it a little. There was nothing better than waking up with a warm affectionate Finn wrapped around him, something he hadn’t had for eleven days… twelve days now. 

“Poe?”

Poe turned his head and saw a sleepy Finn looking at him with concern. “Hey, buddy.”

Finn frowned. “Are you alright?”

Poe hesitated for a moment. He’d never liked admitting to weakness or injury. He knew it drove his friends and the medical staff up the wall but he… just couldn’t. Except for now apparently. Because Finn had been through enough and didn’t deserve to have Poe being an ass as well. Besides, there was being stoic and there was being an idiot. This definitely fell into the latter category.

“M’shoulder hurts,” he admitted.

Finn’s frown deepened. “Should I…?”

“Nah,” Poe said with a wave of his good hand. “Not hurts in the something’s very wrong, get the medic way, just… hurts.”

Finn nodded and got up. He came back a moment later with a glass of water and the pills Dr Kalonia had given him the previous day. Poe grimaced but took them, swallowing them down with a gulp of water before finishing the rest of the glass. Finn set the glass aside then came back and lay down next to Poe again. The pilot took his hand and laced their fingers together then raised their joined hands and gently kissed the back of Finn’s hand, then his knuckles.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he waited for the painkillers to kick in.

“You came back. That’s what’s important,” Finn replied, closing his eyes briefly. He paused, taking a breath before letting it out slowly. “I want to join the Resistance’s pilot program.”

Poe’s face lit up and he grinned. “Yeah? I mean, that’s great!” He sobered a little. “Though… are you sure? I mean, I know just about _everyone_ wants you but Major Ematt was pretty keen. Not that I _don’t_ want you to join. Because I do.”

Finn chuckled and leaned over to kiss him. “I’m sure. I’ve thought about it a lot. And the last eleven days just kind of made up my mind. I know me being out there with you wouldn’t have changed a damn thing but I…” He sighed. “I want to do this.”

Poe kissed the back of his hand again. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

Finn was silent for a long time but Poe was willing to wait. The painkillers kicked in during that time, the pain in his shoulder ebbing away to a dull ache that left him able to concentrate. He was a bit at war with himself right now. He wanted nothing more than for Finn to fly with him but he also wanted to be sure that Finn was doing this for the right reasons. The responsible adult part of him knew that ‘protecting Poe’ or ‘because Poe flies’ would not be considered good reasons by the General.

“I know Major Ematt wants me for the ground troops and thinks I have leadership potential,” Finn said quietly. “I appreciate his opinion, more than he could know, but I… I can’t.” He looked at Poe with eyes full of anguish. “Because we’d be facing Stormtroopers and I can’t. I was one of them, Poe. I can’t see them as faceless, mindless drones or robots or anything like that. They’re just people like me. And yes, some of them are brainwashed and conditioned, some are true believers in the propaganda we got fed but maybe some of them really _are_ like me. Aware and awake and scared as hell because they can’t see a way out. Because there’s no Resistance pilot for them to rescue and to rescue them.”

Poe knew his eyes were full of unshed tears. Because, dammit, Finn was right. How many were there, hidden behind those identical masks, scared and wanting out but with nowhere to go? How many of them ended up being reconditioned because there was no escape and they got found out? Part of him wanted to say none, to say that Finn was just special but his conscience wouldn’t let him get away with that answer. These were kids, stolen from their families and brainwashed to hell and back but if Finn broke through, how many others had? How many others would in the future, when the whispers about Finn got around, when _FN-2187 got out_ was clamouring round in these kids’ heads?

He pressed his lips to the back of Finn’s hand until he could answer without his voice shaking. “That’s a damn good reason and when the General asks – and she _will_ ask – that’s the answer you give her, Finn. She’ll understand.”

“She will?” Finn sounded worried and scared and doubtful.

Poe nodded. “She absolutely will and it’s something she _needs_ to hear as well.” His hands tightened around Finn’s. “Because you’re right and I don’t know if anyone’s considered that you might not be the only one.” He smiled wryly. “Well, I figure the General might have because she’s not stupid by any means but I still think she needs to hear it from you.”

Finn nodded and relaxed and Poe tugged him a bit closer. Finn pressed up against him, their hands still joined. Poe pressed more kisses to Finn’s knuckles then he grinned.

“You’re going to be one hell of a pilot, Finn. I know it.”


End file.
